let the cat out of the bag

WOTD – 6 June 2009    

English

Etymology

(Mid-1700s) The inverse of the idiom pig in a poke. If a dishonest merchant tries to sell a cat as a pig and the cat comes out or is taken out of the bag, the merchant's secret is disclosed.

Phrase

to let the cat out of the bag

1. (idiomatic) To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.

   It was going to be a surprise party until someone let the cat out of the bag.

Synonyms

• (to let a secret be known): spill the beans, talk, tattle, blab, peach (obsolete), babble, sing

Translations

to disclose a secret, often inadvertently

• Breton: reiñ avel d'ar c'had (br)
• Czech: prořeknout (cs) se, vybreptat to (cs)
• German: die Katze aus dem Sack lassen (de)
• Icelandic: tala af sér (is), leysa frá skjóðunni (is)

• Norwegian: slippe katta ut av sekken (no)
• Polish: wypuścić kota z worka (pl)
• Russian: вынести сор из избы (bring the litter out of the house)
• Scottish Gaelic: leig mu sgaoil e (gd)

See also

• pig in a poke
• buy a pup
• sell a pup
• be sold a pup
• get off one's chest
• bare one's breast